Lifes Unexpected Turns
by bright black hole
Summary: Sitting in class, Kurama contemplates the unexpected events his life has taken, the people hes met and, ultimately, befriended, and where his and the others lives will likely lead.


Life, Kurama mused as he stared out the window in his math class, could lead you to places you never expected to be. Like a human math class.

There was a time when he had thought he knew all there was to know about life. How to take it, how to live it, how to control others lives. And he could do all those things. He was a master of manipulation, and if that didn't work. Well. He was a very powerful demon.

His arrogance had always been his downfall, but his mistakes had lead him to being the demon he was known to be. The demon that made the weaker common demons tremble with sheer terror at his mere name, and the most powerful of demons weary to sleep or eat for fear of his less honorable tactics. The King of Bandits, Yoko Kurama. He had experienced betrayal, loss, capture, torture, starvation, injury, and even death. And all these things had made him callous and cruel, had made him into what he was.

Reikai had celebrated for three days straight when he 'died'. One of the reasons he was able to stay hidden until he came out himself was because the majority of Reikais workers were so hung over they thought they had forgot sending him to his punishment, a eternity in the deepest part of hell.

When they learned that he was, in fact, Minamino Shuichi, there had been mass panic. And not just because he had stolen the artifacts. It was because Yoko Kurama had nestled himself into the human world and didn't seem like he wanted to go anywhere anytime soon.

It amused him greatly when he realized Yusuke and Kuwabara, and even Hiei to an extent, really thought that Reikai was letting him roam free because he was working for them. The reason Reikai was letting him roam free was because they didn't have a choice. Even in his weakened human body, they wouldn't be able to hold him for less then a day.

What was even more amusing was that they all, except perhaps Reikai, thought he had changed. That Shiori, with her tender motherly ministrations had managed to take a callous, cruel, murdering demon thief and change him into a soft hearted child. Even Hiei thought he was that soft, the foolish child.

But he wasn't. He did love Shiori, and though he was who he was, he would pretend to be a good boy until she had lived out a long, healthy, happy life. It was the least she deserved, and he knew for a fact that her life span would last at least close to, if not over, a century.

After all, as soon as she died, Yoko Kurama was going to return with nothing to hold him back. And Reikai knew that.

But he didn't hate his current life, he mused as he answered the teachers question with a smile, a few smitten girls sighing dreamily behind him. In fact, it was a vacation for him. And he had met rather interesting people. Friends was a strong word to describe the three he had worked with, but he could admit they were more then acquaintances.

Yusuke was powerful and brilliant, his thirst for fighting balanced with his own morals and naivety of the world. Because he _was_ naïve, despite what everyone thought. He was still a child, one that hadn't experienced the true cruelness of the world and all that it had to offer. But he was nothing if not hard headed and strong. Kurama could admire that, not to mention the fact he was truly loyal to no one but himself and his own ideas. It was refreshing, and though unlikely, the fox genuinely hoped the best for the boy.

Kuwabara was steady and rock hard, coming into his own these past few years. Though human, he was powerful, more powerful then a lot of demons that the fox knew. He was as hard headed as Yusuke, sticking to his own morals and ideas and risking his life for those that he loved and cared for. It was admirable, though foolish. But he was also intelligent, more so then anyone gave him credit for. It was surprising that the only real human amongst them was able to see the big picture in the end more then the others.

Hiei was as predictable as he was unpredictable. A forbidden child that had lived a life of cruelness and hate. And he was still a child, one that had been forced to become powerful or die. But Hiei, especially at the beginning, was far to arrogant. He considered himself powerful and world weary, when in fact he had only experienced a small piece of the world. And Hiei had come to realize that. The fire demon was loyal to himself, for certain, but the fox could clearly see the desire to belong on his eyes. And that desire had come to fruitarian. Even Kurama wouldn't have guessed he would become the heir to Mukuro. Hiei took to his station with a vengeance, having a teacher, leader, and though neither would admit it, friend with Mukuro. Kurama was genuinely glad the demon was happy, but had to wonder what it meant for his own friendship with Hiei.

Because a lot could happen in a century.

Yusuke, though he spoke of settling down with Keiko, wouldn't be able to. She was human, her desire to have a mate that would stay at her side strong, as it was in all humans. And Yusuke wasn't a mate that could stay by her side, no matter how much she loved him and he loved her. They would separate, and Yusuke would answer the calling in his blood to go to demon world and fight.

Kuwabara would likely settle down and live a comfortable life. Kurama knew Reikai planned on using him as a detective, and he knew that they would try to manipulate him into doing what they wanted. But Kuwabara was more intelligent then they gave him credit for, and they would only be able to control him to a certain extent before he put them in their place.

And Hiei had Mukuro and his duties, something that kept him grounded, while at the same time giving him a chance to grow and fight. Kurama didn't know for sure if he would stick to it, anything could happen with the fire demon involved, but it seemed like he would. And once Mukuro deemed him ready, likely a few more centuries, then Hiei would be a ruler.

And Kurama himself would be back in his world, where he belonged. He would return to being a king, the king of bandits. Yusukes loyalty to his friends was unfailing, and Kurama didn't think the boy would turn into a enemy. Hiei was questionable, but he doubted unless something drastic happened that he would be a enemy either. And he genuinely hoped not, because he genuinely liked them. Life had taught him a valuable lesson.

Keep your friends distant, and your enemies dead.

"Shuichi kun! Ano, would you like to eat lunch with us?" Kurama blinked, a bit startled that he had missed the end of class. He gave the three girls before him a small smile.

"Sure, id love to." He stood and followed them, the three of them beaming with delight.

But until it was time, he would be patient and enjoy his vacation, his near painfully peaceful life as Minamino Shuichi.


End file.
